Istanbul Gelisim University - Breathing exercises for lungs damaged from coronavirus

Breathing exercises for lungs damaged from coronavirus

Providing breathing exercise techniques for lungs which are damaged by COVID-19 most, Physiotherapist Çağıl Ertürk says, “With the right breathing exercises one can make their lungs ready and stronger against coronavirus. Moreover, stronger lungs can help you overcome the process much easier.”

It is widely known that those who have healthy lungs and a strong immune system are luckier against viruses. In this context, the lungs, on which Covid-19 viruses stick, spread and do the most damage, have become more important for health after the pandemic. Having experienced Covid-19 and expressing that he overcame it much more easily with the breathing exercises he did, Physiotherapist Çağıl Ertürk underlines that the right breathing techniques strengthen not only the lungs but also the whole immune system.

“WE CAN HAVE A WELL-EQUIPPED WEAPON AGAINST COVID IF WE TRAIN OUR LUNGS”

From Istanbul Gelisim University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and and Rehabilitation, Lecturer Çağıl Ertürk emphasizes that the lung capacity of those who have Covid-19 decreases and says, “The lung capacity of those who had or have Covid-19 decreases and this virus affects our breathing negatively due to inflammation, which we call cytokine storm. As we strengthen the functional capacity of our lungs during Covid-19, after or before we have the illness, we have a well-equipped weapon against it.

“COMPLICATIONS CONTINUE UP TO A YEAR”

Stating that the problems in the lungs may continue from 6 months to 1 year after Covid-19, Çağıl Ertürk said that the breathing exercises to be done in this sense can shorten this process even more. Ertürk said, “In the post-Covid-19 period, these complications remind themselves within a period of at least 6 months. In other words, after a period of 6 months, these complications gradually decrease and disappear up to a year. I also felt its effects for six months after having Covid-19. But I repeated my exercises during and after I had the illness, and it made me get through this process a little easier.”

"CORRECT BREATHING IS IMPORTANT"

Ertürk said that according to recent studies, not only breathing but also correct breathing is important, “As a result of scientific studies, a common conclusion has been reached for both; breathing is not merely enough, how we breathe is also quite important for our immune system. If we can breathe slowly and deeply instead of taking an ordinary breath, we can stimulate our vagus nerve, which has been researched a lot in recent scientific terms. This nervous system calms our body and strengthens our fighting mechanism.

HERE IS THE BREATHING EXERCISE THAT STRENGTHENS BOTH THE LUNG AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM!

Finally, explaining the exercises that strengthen both the lungs and the immune system, Ertürk said, “We need to exhale twice as long as our inhaling duration. There are two types of breathing exercises. The first is chest breathing, the second is diaphragmatic breathing. We put our hands on the area we want to breathe before. We complete inhalation in about 3 seconds and then exhale in 7 seconds. If we do these exercises for both the chest and the diaphragm 10 times a day, it will support our immune system against Covid-19. Not only during exercise, but always for breathing, we should inhale through our nose and exhale through our mouth. Some people experience symptoms such as dizziness and nausea after a few repeats. If we encounter such a situation, we should stop doing the exercise and get into the resting state.”